The Seasons of Kyoshi
by Alabaster86
Summary: Sokka and Suki experience four seasons of love on Kyoshi Island.
1. Chapter 1

**The Seasons of Kyoshi **

_**Chapter 1: A Kyoshi Spring **_

The snow had melted, most of it anyway, and there was a hint of warmth on the breeze, a promise of beautiful things to come. The village of Kyoshi was quiet, most of its citizens still fast asleep. The fishermen had left hours ago, in the pre-dawn, and wouldn't return until the sun reached its highest point in the sky.

Suki stood on the rocky beach and gazed out across the startling blue of the bay, her eyes flickering up to the sky every so often, as if looking for something specific. In one hand she clutched a letter from Sokka. It was crumpled and worse for wear.

_Hey Suki,_

_Will be arriving on Appa in the next few days. Katara and Aang are heading to the Earth Kingdom anyway, so I decided to hitch a ride. I need to see you. I miss you. And besides that, the food on Kyoshi is incredible._

_With a great big, meaty hug,_

_Sokka_

"Come on," she urged quietly. "I can't wait for much longer."

As leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, a skilled group of female fighters, formed as a tribute to the great Avatar Kyoshi, responsibility weighed heavily on Suki's shoulders. She didn't complain. She loved being leader and loved her girls more than almost anything or anyone. But free time could be difficult to come by. Sometimes she needed to use her creativity or simply sneak away for a few hours, leaving one of the other girls in charge.

That's why she rose early. That hour or so before everyone else stumbled out of their beds and stretched and yawned and finally got breakfast going, was hers. She cherished each sunrise that she witnessed, each school of flying fish that frolicked about the bay when everything was still.

Dressed in a simple yellow shirt loose over green pants, her reddish hair down, tucked behind her ears, Suki was lovely. The wind played with her tresses, twisting them about her face. Irritated, she picked a lock of hair out from between her lips and shoved it behind her ears once more. The breeze grew stronger and Suki shivered a bit before rubbing her arms.

She was about to turn around and head back toward the village for her own breakfast, when the sound of Appa's melodious bellow filled the sky. Standing on her toes as if that would make Sokka appear closer, she waved her arm and shouted a 'hello' that got lost on the breeze.

As Appa swooped in close, Sokka caught her eye and grinned, waving back and calling out her name. The great beast landed with a nimbleness that contradicted its size and all three passengers slid off. Sokka was not restrained when it came to showing his affection. He ran to his girl and yanked her into a close embrace, peppering her face with little kisses.

"I'm so glad to see you, Suki," he began. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "And I'm so sick of listening to _them_." He pointed back over his shoulder to the Avatar and Katara. "All the way here it was 'sweetie' this and 'sweetie' that. I almost hurled over the side of poor Appa. I think that _he's _sick of listening to it too."

"He's exaggerating, Suki. Don't listen to my brother." Katara squeezed Aang's hand. "Isn't that right, _sweetie_?"

Aang laughed and good humour sparkled in his grey eyes. He sidled up close to Katara and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"I'm not getting in the middle of that," Suki replied. "Why don't you stop for breakfast? We've got plenty."

"Thanks, Suki, but we need to get going. We have food right here." The Avatar grabbed a satchel and gave it a shake.

"All right then." She slipped her arm through Sokka's. "Thanks for bringing Sokka by. You've made me a very happy woman."

"She's happy with me," Sokka boasted, thrusting his chest out. "See, I told you so. Well, really, who wouldn't be happy with this awesome, studly hunk of man?"

"Hunger has gotten to his head," the Kyoshi Warrior quipped. "I'd better get him to my place quickly before he starts to act even more stupid than he usually does."

"Hey," Sokka protested. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"Nope, just hungry; come on."

They gave Aang and Katara one final wave before walking up the beach and back into the village.

~~~~0000~~~~

"So, you're _really_ happy to see me?" Sokka's insecurities decided to come out and play, mischievous and cruel. He kept them well hidden much of the time, underneath a very male swagger and bravado.

But Suki's insight was keen and she'd seen beyond that brash, loud outer shell to the kind, brave and earnest young man beneath, soon after they had met.

"Yes, Sokka, I'm really happy to see you." To emphasize her point, Suki stopped along the muddy road that led through the village's centre and gave her lover a kiss. "Convinced now?"

"Well, I don't know, Suki. I think the kiss could have been a bit longer, maybe a bit deeper too and more passionate. A man wants to feel desired." He put his hands on his hips and flashed the young woman a silly look.

She rolled her eyes and turned about, continuing her trudge through the mud, all while planning the breakfast she would make for her and Sokka. "After we eat, I have to run a training session. You can watch, or join in if you want."

Both their thoughts went immediately to their first meeting, Sokka dressed as a Kyoshi Warrior, kimono and make-up and everything. He had accepted the rules for participation with reluctant good grace. The girls still laughed about the day,_ that_ part anyway. The remainder of the day had not been quite so good.

"I'll watch; maybe engage in a little sword practice." With great drama, he unsheathed his new sword, forged at Piandao's of _ordinary _metal.

Suki placed _her_ hands on _her_ hips and stared at Sokka full on. "The rules haven't changed just because you're my boyfriend. If you participate in any way, you dress as one of us."

"Okay, okay, I understand." A sly grin flashed across the warrior's handsome tan face. "Would they change if I were your husband?"

"No!" Her answer was immediate and firm. She paused as the potential enormity of his words hit her with the force of a Kyoshi Island winter storm. "Wait, are you planning on becoming my husband?" Her cheeks felt warm all of a sudden and she stared down at the mud that squished around and up over her boots.

Sokka spluttered. What began as a cheeky question had bloomed into something bigger. The idea had lived in the back of his mind for a long time now and he had fantasized about marrying Suki, having a large, chaotic, happy family and growing old together. Sokka's needs were simple ones. He did not lust for power or glory or fame. He simply wanted good friends, good food, and to contribute.

"What's taking so long? Either you want to marry me or you don't?" Suddenly the red head felt angry and defensive and worried. Were Sokka's words just a joke? Was there no meaning behind them at all?

"I, well, I, um I kind of blurted that out without thinking." Suki's large, lovely eyes, bluish green, blazed. 'But that doesn't mean that, well, that I don't want to marry you." He gave her a soft smile then, shy and awkward and full of love. "I guess that, what I mean is…." The more he spoke, the more he said, the more Sokka's conviction grew. He _did_ want to marry his girl. Why not use the opportunity he had clumsily afforded himself? Why wait for some mysterious 'right time'? "Suki?"

"Yes, Sokka?" She tapped the toe of one boot in the mud and crossed her arms over her breasts.

"I think we should get married. Will you marry me?" Sokka beamed now, the light of his smile warming Suki's heart.

Sincerity, affection and desire all radiated from the man. Suki _had_ to smile back and she _had_ to answer 'yes'.

"I will marry you, Sokka." Wrapping her arms about his neck, she kissed him, full and firm on the mouth.

He beamed once more, unable to contain his joy. "I love you, Suki; seems I've loved you forever."

"It's only the beginning," Suki replied. "We've got years and years of love ahead, season after season."

~~~~0000~~~~

**A/N: I've been picking away at this bit for months; wanted to try some Sukka. Three chapters left (duh). I'm in no rush to get them done, but I'll work slowly and surely on the next one.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Seasons of Kyoshi**_

_**Chapter 2: A Kyoshi Summer**_

Everyone knew about their engagement. Sokka, beyond thrilled and proud to be marrying Suki, had called the news out to the heavens.

"It was all planned, the proposal, I mean," he would say to friends and family and acquaintances and anyone else who would listen. He accosted shopkeepers and wait staff, the old lady who sold flowers near Iroh's tea shop in Ba Sing Se, the old man who fixed weapons in Capitol City and the cobbler in Omashu.

If Suki was there, she would give her head a little shake but keep any protests to herself. 'Let him have his enjoyment,' she figured. 'No harm.'

A month after the proposal, the young couple visited Mai and Zuko in the Fire Nation. The Fire Lord and his lover were unmarried as yet, still waiting for a lengthy break from the seemingly endless string of meetings and negotiations and trips, all in an attempt to restore honour to the Fire Nation while still maintaining its dignity.

Zuko clapped his friend on the back and offered his sincere congratulations. And he was happy for the couple. But their impending marriage also served to emphasize the sad fact that he and Mai continued to wait.

"Come on, grumpy, it's not that bad; I mean, the two of you are married in all but name, aren't you?" He winked repeatedly and Zuko wondered if perhaps the Water Tribesman had developed some sort of strange tick.

"Well, yeah, but still…I want to have the ceremony that Mai deserves…you know, let the world know that I love her."

Sokka lowered his voice and peered about the room, before putting a hand on Zuko's back. "I'm sure that the servants all know."

Blushing, Zuko decided now was a great time to return to his office. "Paperwork," he mumbled, "mountains and mountains of it."

Sokka chuckled and considered _his_ work finished.

~~~~0000~~~~

"C'mon, Suki, won't you at least try them on. Mai says they're the latest fashion and I thought you would love them. Please! I'd love to see you in them….and out of them." That last part he spoke in a sultry whisper that made his fiancée shiver.

"I've told you at least ten times that I want a simple wedding with a simple dress. You're taking this whole shopping thing too far."

"But I love shopping." He crossed his arms over his chest as if daring her or anyone else to question his manliness. "This wedding could be spectacular, Suki. Mai knows all about that sort of stuff, you know linens and flowers and table settings. She kind of hates it though." He stroked his chin and thought for a moment, trying to reconcile the two aspects of Mai.

"Sokka?"

"Yes, Suki."

"Are we having the wedding in the Fire Nation?"

"Well, no….but we're going to have eating utensils, aren't we? And flowers? We can't have a wedding without flowers."

"Don't worry. There are plenty of perfectly pretty flowers that grow right on Kyoshi Island. And I want a green dress, not a red one. And I want it understated and, well, reasonably priced." The red head watched as Sokka's face fell. His expression tugged at her heart. He only wanted to make things special for her after all. "Look, I know you're trying to help and honestly, I'm glad that you're interested. A lot of guys wouldn't be. And I realize that it's _your _wedding too. But please, no herds of animals or choirs or palanquins." She moved close to Sokka and cupped his cheek, running a finger over his lips. "I love you."

"All right," he sighed. "I get it. Good food, good drink, pretty dress, local flowers, family and friends only. Don't ever say I didn't try." He grinned then and kissed her full on the lips. "Love you too."

~~~~0000~~~~

"I want to give her the most spectacular wedding ever, Mai. But she won't let me. She wants plain and simple." He sighed and reached for the plate of fruit. "Isn't plain boring?"

"No, not at all; plain can be elegant and lovely, just not over the top. I appreciate simplicity myself. I'm not the circus wedding type." She sighed too wondering when she and Zuko would ever have the chance at that simple wedding.

"Will you help me?" He stared at his ebony haired friend imploringly. "You're kind of elegant and stuff and you can keep me straight. I still want some of my own personality part of the wedding too." He waited a moment and then added a 'please'.

"I'll help." Under her breath she muttered, "Might as well be planning _someone's_ wedding."

~~~~0000~~~~

Summer on Kyoshi was like a perfect dream. The air was warm and smelled like everything sweet that blossomed beneath the sun's live giving rays. The sea was cool, but not too cool, and the dozens of tiny beaches and hidden coves were ideal for swimming. Sokka and Suki snuck away for picnics whenever they could, lying back on a blanket, soaking up the sun and diving into the soothing waves.

The Water Tribesman spent some time at home too, leaving Suki to her work and tending to some of his own. The Southern Water Tribe did not have simply a chief now, one leader to dictate to all, but a council that made decisions based on discussion, meetings that everyone could join and votes. He was a council member and proud, but was an absentee as much as he attended.

Dividing time between two places, Suki's home and his, created its own set of issues and no permanent place of residence had yet been decided on. Now, enjoying their engagement, flushed with ardor and anticipation of their wedding, they tended to avoid the problem all together, each hoping that somehow it would work itself out.

"I've got to get back, Sokka." Suki began to pack up their things. "The girls will be waiting."

Her lover grumbled to himself but heaved himself up from the sand, shaking out the blanket before folding it neatly. "I know. But I don't want to leave." He pouted then, lower lip protruding and Suki laughed.

"Now you just look like a brat."

"Hey, I object to that! I'm a handsome brat at least, right?"

"Yes, dear, you're a handsome brat." She swatted him on the behind, all playfulness and mischief. "Now, get going."

Hips bumping and shoulders brushing, they wandered back to the village. Suki changed into her warrior gear, kissed Sokka and headed to the dojo. He stayed behind to tidy the tiny house Suki occupied. He had nothing else to do really. The wedding, set for the autumn, was coming together with Mai's help. Simple and quiet and lovely; Suki would approve and that was all Sokka really wanted.

He was overjoyed when the weekly boat from the Fire Nation, arriving late in the afternoon, delivered a crate from Mai. Inside were fabric samples and dish samples and even sample menus, all of them in Earth Kingdom colours and with Earth Kingdom flare. Mai had done her research or gotten others to do it for her. Kyoshi Island's distinctive culture was represented well.

"Hmm, yes, oh, I love that; Suki will flip for that colour." Smiling, he sorted through the items, examining each with great care before deciding on some and rejecting others.

He was in the middle of repacking the crate (return postage had kindly been paid by Mai), when Suki wandered into the wood frame house.

"What do you have there?" Curiosity drove her into the tiny living room where Sokka struggled to pack everything as it had been before.

"Why is that once you take things out of a box, you can never get them back in the same way?" Frustrated now, he shoved the final cloth sample back in along with a letter to Mai he had written hurriedly, and slammed the lid back tight. "That will have to do."

"Wedding stuff?" Suki stood behind Sokka, one hand resting on his shoulder. "I don't get to see?"

"Do you really want to? I can open up the crate again."

She shook her head. "I trust you with everything. But the dress, I get final say on that. I am the one wearing it, after all."

"Don't you worry, Suki. It's going to be fabulous...in an understated sort of way." He rubbed his hands together. "I can't wait."

~~~~0000~~~~

While summer days on Kyoshi Island were enjoyable, summer evenings were divine. Hands entwined, the engaged couple strolled along the bay. The sea air was fresh and soft and crept across their bare skin like delicate feathers. Suki rested her head on Sokka's shoulder, closing her eyes occasionally, letting her feet and her lover guide her.

Kyoshi had imprinted itself on her soul the day of her birth and she loved the island with everything in her. It was beautiful and it was home; its hills, its beaches, its villages and its people. When Sokka visited, it became something even more special, a paradise of sorts.

"I wish you could just stay here." She spoke her wish knowing the guilt it would inspire in Sokka. "But, I know you have things to do at home."

"We're going to have to figure that out one day, you know, the whole 'where we're going to live' thing." The warrior shrugged. "It's kind of a mess."

"Yeah; but not tonight, okay?"

The moon made a brief appearance and Sokka silently asked Yue for her guidance. They would work it all out somehow. Suki was worth it, after all, worth any sacrifice or compromise.

"Okay," he agreed before pausing and wrapping his arms about her tight. "Whenever you're ready."


	3. Chapter 3

**Seasons of Kyoshi**

**Part 3: A Kyoshi Autumn**

Many mourned the loss of summer but Suki, especially this year, the year of her wedding to Sokka, was glad to see it go. The sea was churlish, dark blue and grey, the waves rough, the whitecaps predominant. Trees began their preparation for the cold months of winter, their leaves changing from green to magnificent shades of orange and red and yellow. The woods seemed afire with colour. Acorns and chestnuts littered the soft soil of the forest floor.

Long brown grass blew in the strong winds, making the fields look like tiny oceans of their own. The occasional sumac bush added splashes of orange or maroon and the odd raspberry cane, dried fruit clinging to its stems, peppered the open areas with bits of deep red.

The air was fresh and crisp, fragrant with wood smoke, especially in the evening. The cool embraced Suki, breathing new life into her despite the deep sleep that the plants and even some animals headed toward. It was her favorite season, had been since she was a child.

~~~~0000~~~~

Sokka's hard work, and Mai's, had paid off. The wedding was set for the following day and the Water Tribesman was preternaturally calm.

"You've got nothing to worry about, Suki. It's all taken care of." He puffed out his chest a bit, displaying pride in his accomplishment.

"I'm not worried, Sokka. My dress is perfect. The weather is incredible. Our friends and family are here. And I'm marrying _you_." She beamed at her lover. "Now, how about we take a walk?" The outside called to Suki. Soon enough, winter would close in and while she enjoyed that too, it did not have the same allure.

So they strolled, arm in arm, stopping to talk with curious villagers eager for a wedding. The Avatar along with Katara stood near a wooden footbridge Small children, entrance by Appa, gathered round the beast while Aang airbended them up, two at a time, allowing them to see their village from a different perspective.

"Hey," Katara waved, beckoning the couple over. When they were close enough, the waterbender embraced Suki and then her brother. "I'm so excited about tomorrow. It took you guys long enough."

"Remember, it's nothing fancy," Sokka warned her. "You'll have to wait until the Fire Lord's wedding for that."

Everyone gazed out at the humble Fire Nation ship anchored just outside the shallower waters of the bay. It waited to take Mai and Zuko back to the Fire Nation as soon as the festivities were over. The young Fire Lord couldn't afford to be away from his duties for more than a few days. At least, that's the way Zuko saw things. Mai had pushed for a week and been denied.

"I feel bad for them." Suki sighed. "Maybe they should just elope and have the huge ceremony after. What difference does it all make anyway?"

"They have to appease all the hoity toity nobles and the council and anyone else who thinks that tradition is more important than how Mai and Zuko feel. It sucks, but that's the way it is." Sokka's face fell as he explained his friends' dilemma but brightened again as his thoughts turned back to his own wedding. "But that's not going to stop me from enjoying _our _wedding."

"Well, I'm relieved to hear that, Sokka."

Sokka whirled about. "Why didn't you tell me that Mai and Zuko were right behind me?"

"It was too much fun not to." Suki put a comforting arm around her almost husband. "Don't worry; you didn't say anything to offend our royal friends. Did he, Mai?"

"Please, you've never spoken with my mother, have you? Now _she_ offends me."

"Out for a walk too?" Aang inquired. "It's a beautiful day."

"We don't have much free time together, so we're enjoying every minute," Zuko answered. The Fire Lord gazed at his wife with a look unintentionally intimate. Mai's pulse picked up while everyone else felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Um, yeah, well, that's nice." Sokka cleared his throat and started to walk again, tugging Suki along with him.

Suki glanced over her shoulder. "Thanks again for lending a hand, Mai. We appreciate it."

"I was bored." Mai snickered and whispered to her lover. "I think you chased them off with that smoldering look."

"Oh," Zuko uttered, pink-faced. "Sometimes when I see you, everyone else ceases to exist."

"And Sokka got the oogies from _you _calling me _'sweetie'_?" Shaking her head, Katara gave Aang a perplexed glance before turned back to Appa.

Mai and Zuko continued on their walk, taking the opposite direction from Suki and Sokka. With both couples feeling amorous, four would be a crowd.

~~~~0000~~~~

Suki's house was far too tiny to fit all the girls along with Katara and Mai and Toph. So rather than get ready there, her dress and a mirror and makeup and hair paraphernalia were all moved to the spacious dojo. A few of the Kyoshi Warriors paced about outside, making certain that Sokka did not get a sneak peak. He had a good idea of what the dressed looked like, but had not seen its final incarnation.

"I don't mind if he sees." Suki placed her hands on her hips. "Really, I mean it."

"No, you need that moment, Suki, when he lays his eyes on you in that dress, all perfect and gorgeous, walking toward him." Ty Lee was almost in tears contemplating a wedding without such a moment.

"Um, all right, Ty; relax. He won't see me until the ceremony. I promise." Suki flashed the young woman a brilliant smile.

The other Kyoshi Warriors were accustomed to the Fire Nation girl's enthusiasm for life in general and romance in particular. It had eluded her so far, but she enjoyed seeing the love lives of her friends flourish. Her effervescence was what made Ty Lee Ty Lee; and the warriors loved her for it. Every member had embraced the chi blocker and each of her quirks fully. They all had quirks of their own, after all.

The dress, a filmy green thing with a yellow silk sash, fell to just above Suki's ankles and revealed a bit of pale shoulders. It was lighter, sheerer than anything Suki had ever worn, and part of her felt daring. Another part felt a slight bit inappropriate. Nevertheless the dress was exquisite, lovelier than anything she had ever laid her big blue eyes upon.

Mai noticed her friend's discomfiture. "There's an under dress of sorts right here that covers the important parts." She smirked. Sokka wouldn't be long taking that off. "It's a slightly paler green and contrasts prettily."

"I'll take your word for it, Mai." She gave the raven haired woman a grateful smile.

Suki pulled on the first layer, Mai helping, making certain that nothing tore. Once that was smoothed and then smoothed down once more, the real dress went on. Everyone but Mai, who knew what the dress looked like, gasped. Ty Lee put a hand over her mouth before sighing at the romance of everything. Toph wished that she could see the dress and the bride, _really_ see them. The earthbender felt everyone's happiness and enthusiasm, could hear it in their voices, but the rest was a bit of a mystery.

"Here, let me tie the sash." Mai, between functions attended while she lived at home, and her association with Zuko now, knew a lot about formal dress. "There, it's perfect." She stood back and admired her handiwork. "Sokka won't know what hit him. I mean that."

Her playful side getting the better of her, Suki spun about, and the green silk ballooned outward, encircling her in its richness and beauty. She felt like a princess and the smile that graced her face was far prettier than any dress could ever hope to be.

Another warrior, Suki's good friend for years, fixed her hair. It had already been curled, loose ones that bounced whenever the bride moved. Lanfen adjusted the tresses and then placed a simple hair pin, gold, in the shape of a flower, on one side.

"Oh, Suki; I'm so happy for you. Sokka better know how damned lucky he is."

"If he doesn't, I'll show him."

The girls smirked and giggled while Suki applied just a touch of makeup. It might be her wedding day, but she wanted to look like herself, not some strange, carnival version of Suki. The girls gathered around and inspected the red head, all of them giving their final approval.

"You guys look great too."

And they did; from Mai in her maroon sleeveless dress to Ty Lee in her pink skirt and matching tunic. As befitting the simplicity of the wedding, no one wore anything overly ornate and no one wanted to outshine the bride.

"Sokka will be waiting," Lanfen reminded her friend. She handed Suki her flowers, just two, sunflowers, the perennial variety* that were found here and there on the island. The soft, subdued yellow petals matched her dress perfectly.

Heading out of the dojo, the women walked, Suki in the lead, along the path to the village's main street. People stood outside their homes, cheering and waving, some throwing flower petals. The good will of her fellow villagers thrilled Suki. She smiled and waved back, calling out greetings to some of her favorite shopkeepers.

The men waited near the sea where a dais of sorts, a small wooden platform really, had been built expressly for the wedding. More sunflowers were scattered across the wood, cheerful dots of colour. A canopy of green silk waved in the gentle breeze. Upon a small table sat a delicate tea set, the oldest one in the village.

Sokka, dressed in a pale blue outer tunic and pants with a white shirt beneath, deep blue sash and new boots, black, wore an enormous grin and joy emanated from the young man in pulsing waves. Suki stepped up onto the platform and reached for her fiancé's hand. She was calm, happier than she could quite believe, but steady and eager to begin her life as Sokka's partner.

"Hey." He spoke in quiet tones. "The dress is so beautiful on you. Thanks for saying 'yes'."

"Did you doubt?" she asked just as softly.

"Maybe, a little, but that's just because you're too good for me."

Suki wanted to swat him but the timing was a bit off. "That's just stupid," she chided. She wouldn't pay any further attention to his insecurities. "Everyone looks so good; your father, Bato, Piandao, Mai and Zuko, everyone."

"I don't see anyone but you." It wasn't mere flattery or sweet words. Sokka's entire focus was Suki. Everyone and everything else looked more like smeared paint or something seen through a dirty window. And right now, they just did not matter.

Her cheeks a faint pink now, Suki directed her attention to the village elder. He would marry Sokka and Suki in front of their best friends and beloved family members. He would marry one to the other and so they would be joined for the remainder of their lives. Neither of them could wait to begin.

*yes, they do exist and they are lovely

~~~~0000~~~~

**A/N: It feels a bit like a cheat not describing the actual wedding. But I've done my share of those and with enthusiasm for this story sort of wavering (me and reviewers), I simply couldn't be bothered. I do hope that the chapter was enjoyable anyway**.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Seasons of Kyoshi**_

_**Part Four: A Kyoshi Winter**_

_***For Private Fire and Jedilogray, the only ones still interested in this story: Enjoy!***_

The fireplace crackled and hissed and the warmth spread upwards and outwards, giving the tiny living room a cozy feel. Suki was curled up on one end of the couch, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her blue-green eyes, eyes that Sokka always lost himself in, had that faraway expression common to daydreamers.

She imagined Sokka stoking the fire before dropping down beside her, a smirk on his face, strong arms reaching out to pull her close. Suki smiled sadly and yearned for her husband of four months. He was spending a few weeks at home, well his childhood home, tending to council business, catching up with relatives and others he had known forever.

It was still a sore point sometimes, the issue of where home was and should be. A month or so into their marriage, they'd had a fight about just that. It was ugly and brutal and something neither ever wanted to repeat; so each had made concessions.

Their main residence was on Kyoshi, but at least four times a year, Sokka would leave for the South Pole and spend two weeks there; eight weeks away from her. They made quick trips in between, the pair of them, to visit with Sokka's father and grandmother and Pakku and Bato. Sokka was satisfied and for that Suki was grateful.

But on occasion, guilt ate at her, nibbling like a hungry sewer rat. Why did Kyoshi win over the South Pole? Why did_ her_ wishes supersede his? How was that fair? She worried too that he might one day resent their decision and hold Suki responsible.

Marriage was not easy. She was learning that and at a rapid pace too. But the rewards she and Sokka both reaped were well worth any effort. Together they constructed their life, one stone at a time, and they dreamed about their future. Sokka was ready to have children right now, but _he _wouldn't be giving birth. Suki wanted to adjust to married life first, make certain that their foundation was strong and immoveable like the rock that formed the mountains of Kyoshi Island. She wanted to make certain that each was flexible.

But she imagined their children; bright eyed, curious creatures, funny like their father, smart and brave, loyal and strong. Suki knew well enough that they wouldn't and _couldn't_ be that perfect. One might have a terrible temper and another might be impatient. One might have no sense of humour at all and one could be lazy. But they would be good children. Of that Suki _was_ certain.

A log shifted and sparks flew up, looking like little orange fireflies dancing in the heated air. Suki stretched luxuriously and stood, padding into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. As she filled the kettle with water and grabbed a tea cup, Suki began to hum, soft and low. Sokka would be home the following afternoon. Just the thought made her tingle.

~~~~0000~~~~

A shuttle of sorts existed between Kyoshi Island and the Southern Water Tribe. It facilitated trade between the two and offered a consistent method of travel for those who wanted to visit one or the other. Sokka hopped the well crafted and rough seas worthy boat early the next morning and stood on deck, staring out at the horizon, eager to get his first glimpse of Kyoshi Island.

When the snow dusted mountain peaks came into view, he grinned and began to pace the deck. Other islanders watched him, amusement making their eyes sparkle.

"Eagerness of the newlywed," one middle-aged man declared before clapping Sokka on the back.

He hardly felt it through his thick, warm parka. "I'm eager all right. Suki's the best."

By the time they entered the harbour, snow fell, strong and thick, huge, fat flakes that rested on Sokka's cheeks and eyelashes before melting. He licked one off his lips and laughed, recalling times as a young boy in the tiny village he had called home.

Suki was barely visible on the dock. He spotted the red of her hair and shouted out her name. Suki heard and called back, and they started a back and forth that left both breathless with excitement.

"How was it?" Suki fell into her husband's embrace, burying her face against his chest.

"Good, good; everyone says hello. Dad teased about having babies. Gran-Gran was even _worse_."

Suki rolled her eyes but smiled. Good natured teasing never bothered either of them. No one put real pressure on the couple. It wouldn't do any good and all of their relatives and friends new that.

"What about the council?"

They walked slowly along the dock to the beach and followed the snow covered path that led to the main road. The snow grew thicker and soon they could hardly see the charming wood buildings that lined the street.

"Lots of changes are coming, Suki. My old home won't be the same. In a few years I won't recognize it. Katara and Pakku and the other benders, are working hard making new buildings. Gran-Gran thinks she's back in the Northern Water Tribe. It's good, though." He brushed the snow from her hair. "Are you cold?"

"Not a bit." Her body was afire and cold had been cast aside like an old, worn pair of shoes.

Sokka glanced at her sheepishly. "So…..are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I am." Desire was clear in his blue eyes. Lust was mirrored in _her_ eyes. "We've got all afternoon and all evening. No one will bother us. I made sure of it."

"Not even Ty Lee?"

"Not even Ty Lee. I promise."

As they entered the little house, cheerful and welcoming, the smell of dinner Suki had made wafting toward them, Sokka felt a surge of joy rush through his body. He was home. He was with Suki. And that was all that really mattered.


End file.
